Rabid raccoon caught in Camden, NJ

A rabid racoon has been found in a Camden, NJ residence and the Camden County Health Department is warning residents for any possible infections.

There have been no confirmed human or animal exposures, but Camden County officials recommend people to keep an eye on any symptoms to get early treatment.

“If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal it is important that you seek immediate medical attention,” said Commissioner Virginia Betteridge, liaison to the Camden County Health Department.

Betteridge urges residents to keep pets safe. Here are some recommendations:

1. Keep vaccinations up to date for all dogs, cats, and ferrets.
2. Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals.  If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.
3. Contact your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood.  They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.

It is also important to avoid direct contact with unfamiliar animals:

1. Enjoy wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes from afar.  Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or liter.
2. Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.  Do not try to nurse sick animals to health.  Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.
3. Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they seem friendly.
4. Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people or pets.
5. When traveling abroad, avoid direct contact with wild animals and be especially careful around dogs in developing countries.  Rabies is common in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.  Tens of thousands of people die of rabies each year in these countries.

If you are Camden County resident and need to know how to treat rabies or rabid animals, you can call the Camden County Health Department at (856) 374-6370.

For more information on rabies, you can go to www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/ .

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